My Midnight
by Avonmora
Summary: Legolas seemed very eager to go with the Fellowship. Why would a young Thranduilion Prince want to go on a journey that could possibly lead to his death? Why would he want to leave everything that he loves and is familiar with?
1. Chapter 1

Here is a new story (obviously). I don't have much to say about it really. It starts out pre Fellowship. I do not own LOTR! (I do wish though). Enjoy!

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My Midnight

Chapter One

I walked along the well-beaten path that I normally traveled on while guarding my beloved forest home. The trees seemed to whisper to me, to comfort me in my solitude. The other archers were far away on their own trails and all was silent except the slight breeze that moved the leaves.

My forest home was dark, the green ceiling above me blocking out the sun almost entirely. It was about mid-afternoon, but in other parts of Arda it could have passed for midnight. I touched one tree's trunk as I passed by and could feel its life buzz beneath my palm. Amazingly, to the trees I was young. The trees had been in Eryn Lasgalen for much longer than I had been alive.

They were a comfort to me and at the same time they seemed to be telling me my future. I was a younger son of a king and had no great deeds to my name. No one yet knew who Legolas Thranduilon was. I was scared to be like the trees. To live in the same place for centuries and to never do anything and see the other Realms of Arda. I was desperate to try and escape that fate.

"Prince Legolas," someone said behind me. I had heard the other elf approach and was not shocked to see him standing there.

"Are you here to take over for me, Rimedur?" I asked. The other, younger elf normally took over for me and covered the watch at night. Sometimes we stayed with each during the other's shift and talked. He was the closest thing I had to a friend in my dark home.

"I am. Shall you be staying?" He asked.

"I do not think I will tonight," I responded. I put my hand to his shoulder and walked back toward my father's palatial caves. The trek from the outer rim of the forest to the palace was a long one, but one that I enjoyed. It was a few last moments before I was again among people, as there were always people moving throughout my father's palace.

I entered through the main doors and was enveloped by the indoors. After being outside in the forest for so long it sometimes felt suffocating to be inside the stone walls of the caves. As soon as I was inside and had wound my way through a few corridors I ran into my elder brother, Calanon.

"Father wishes to see you, Legolas," he informed me. He was nearly identical to me, but taller and broader. I had also heard some of the ladies of Eryn Lasgalen say he was the handsomer of the two brothers.

We looked alike and many would say acted alike. Both of Thranduil's sons were quiet and pensive, both at times could have a temper, and both were of the same dispositions on many things.

I nodded. "I shall head there now." And so I did, winding my way through more hallways and corridors. I tried to stay in the middle of the corridors as the most suffocating thing about the palace was its stone walls. After spending many hours in the forest the stone was too much to bear and I sometimes felt as though I couldn't breathe properly. I finally reached my father's study and knocked soundly on the door.

"Come in," my father's deep voice called.

I stepped inside the room and closed the heavy door behind me. My father sat tall in his chair. He was a proud man and he carried himself as such. It wasn't hard to tell where Calanon and I got our looks. Our father's hair was the same blond if not a bit duller from age and he had the same color of eyes.

"Calanon said you wished to speak with me," I said, my hands clasping behind my back.

"I do wish to speak with you," he responded.

I stood waiting. With my father, no amount of prodding could make him speak before he was ready and so I waited patiently. He was signing something or other and I could only wait.

Thranduil finally looked up at me. "I think we ought to travel to Imladris. Elrond is celebrating a birthday." He picked up a piece of parchment, an invitation to visit I assumed.

"Elrond has celebrated many birthdays," I responded with a smile.

My father laughed. "So he has, but a millennium has passed and he thinks that is worth celebrating, in his own solemn fashion of course."

I chuckled. It had been long since I had traveled to Imladris or seen the elves from there. I remembered Elrond to be quite serious, but that was course set off by his mischievous sons.

"Then I also think we should go to Imladris, Ada," I replied. I could voice my thoughts aloud, but I was in a desperate need for a change of scenery. The forest had begun to frighten me with what I thought was its prediction for my life.

-ooooOoooo-

Being an elf means you do nothing fast. When my father had said that we should go to Imladris for an elf that meant years later. And so a few years passed, though they seemed like mere months to the immortal race, and the three royal men of Eryn Lasgalen were on their way to another elvish realm.

As soon as we broke through the trees and into the open space a weight seemed to be lifted off of my chest. I took a deep breath of the air that wasn't scented like the trees or the dankness of the palace. I blinked in the blinding sun that was forever remiss in my own Realm. It was wonderful to be away. We mounted the horses as the trees had been too close together in the forest to ride them. I felt a surge of energy and spurred my horse forward exulting in the feeling of the speed and my hair flying behind me. I could hear my father and brother behind me doing the same thing and we ran our horses for quite some time before bringing them back to a walk for our journey to Imladris.

We arrived in a month's time, our travels being slow and leisurely. Before going into the last Homely House we stabled and tended to our horses, they being tired after being unused for so long. My father and brother left the stable before I did and I re-explored Imladris for a while. I walked along the paths and listened to the gurgling brooks and could hear the rush of the many waterfalls in the distance. The sounds were strange and unfamiliar to me, but at the same they brought a small smile to my face with their uniqueness. As I headed toward Elrond's house I saw two women walking down the steps that lead into a small garden.

I recognized Arwen Undomiel immediately as I had seen her many times in the past. The other woman though, I had no recollection of. I had never seen anything like her in all of my thousands of years on Arda. She was everything a night sky should be. She possessed hair that hung to her waist and looked like what the night sky did when the moon was eclipsed. It was a shade darker than black. Her hair could not have been eclipsed by the moon though, because her face was as pale as the moon. It was white and soft and looked as though it might glow when night took the day's place.

"_You are so beautiful,"_ I thought to myself.

The woman's eyes immediately sought mine out as though I had spoken to her out loud, which I was positive I had not. If her hair was the night sky and her face was the moon then her eyes were nothing less than stars. They twinkled and seemed to be no specific color, but they shone brightly in my direction and she looked at me in a puzzled manner for a good moment or two.

I could not look away from her and we merely stared at each other for a quite a while. Arwen had left the woman and was moving through the garden.

"Vanmoriel," she called when she realized that her friend was no longer with her. "What troubles you?" I could hear Arwen even though they were some distance away.

"Nothing." The woman, Vanmoriel, responded. Her voice was what I would imagine the night would sound like if it had a voice and it wrapped around me, cloaking me and warming me. She continued to look at me as she responded to Arwen. Finally, she broke the eye contact and I felt bereft of something that I did not yet understand.

As I watched the women walk around the garden for a few more moments I could not take my eyes from Arwen's companion. If Arwen was the evening than the other woman, this Vanmoriel was certainly midnight.

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There you go! I hope you liked it! **Please let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

Here is an update! My graduation open house was this weekend so now I have a little more time to write. **Research note**: When I give the elves something like a last name it is really just saying who they are the son or daughter of. It is how they are identified among people. I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter Two

"Legolas!" One of the Elrondian twins shouted when I entered the palace. I could not tell which it was at first. Once I could see him clearly I recognized the scarred cheek and placed my old friend Elladan. His brother, Elrohir, was only seconds behind him.

"Mellon (friend)," Elrohir smiled and embraced me. "We are so glad you could come and celebrate with us. Of course the real celebrating will have to be done after Ada goes to bed," he said with a roguish grin. "I trust you Woodland elves brought that especially potent wine of yours."

I laughed. "Of course. Ada brought a few barrels with us."

"You know it is not a celebration without the wine from Eryn Lasgalen," Elladan said with a chuckle.

"For such a celebration I must clean the travel off of me," I said. I shouldered my bag and allowed the twins to show me to the room that I would be staying in. The royal home in Imladris was so much different than the caves I inhabited in Eryn Lasgalen. It was so refreshing to have windows in the corridors. I could still hear the gurgling water when I got into my room. It seemed to be calling to me and I decided that I could not bathe in the bathroom when there were such welcoming streams all over. Surely I could find an isolated spot.

I grabbed a bar of soap from the bathroom and a fluffy towel. I slipped out of the palace without being hindered and slowly made my way along the flowering paths of Imladris. The scent of the place was so different than what I was used to. It was fresh, where my home was dank and musty; it was light and airy, where Eryn Lasgalen was sometimes suffocating.

Finally, figuring I had walked far enough from the rest of the people in Imladris I made my own little path to a small pond with water feeding into it from a waterfall. As I emerged from the brush I saw something that I definitely had not expected.

The dark haired woman from earlier had obviously had the same idea that I had. She was standing beneath the waterfall with her head tilted back, the water running through her luxurious black hair. She did not see me and with the water falling over her I was sure she could not hear me either, or else she would have been angry to see me there. I knew I should pull myself away, but I could not stop looking at her. Her hair was covering her ample breasts and it hung to her waist. I could not see beneath the water's surface and was standing transfixed staring at the woman.

My pulse quickened and a heat spread through my entire being. She was exquisite, like nothing I had ever seen, and honestly I had seen my fair share of elf maidens. Suddenly, her head snapped up and she was looking directly at me.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, covering herself the best she could with her hands, even though I could not see anything anyways. Her pale cheeks flushed and I quickly removed my gaze from her.

I shook my head, bringing myself back to the moment. "Nothing, I merely had the same idea that you did. I had no idea that this area was occupied."

"It clearly is," she snapped. "Turn around."

I quickly did as she bid me and turned my back to her. I had a smile on my face as I heard her scramble from the pool and wrap the towel around her. "Goheno nin (forgive me)," I said quietly. "I meant no harm."

Vanmoriel pulled her dress over her head and the next thing I heard was her stomping through the brush and moving back toward Imladris. I was still smiling as I stripped down and dove into the pool. The image of the beautiful woman was burned into my mind as I swam and bathed myself for the birthday celebration.

I returned to Elrond's home a few hours later and put on my celebratory clothes. I braided my hair differently than I normally did. While I was in Eryn Lasgalen, unless there was a formal occasion, I wore my hair in the typical archers' braids, but for Elrond's birthday I braided my blond hair in the way of a Prince of Eryn Lasgalen. The braids were more intricate and less functional.

My door opened and Calanon walked in. "Well who needs a mirror when I have you, Calanon?"

"You flatter yourself, little brother," he laughed and sat on the edge of my bed. His hair was braided in the same way that mine was and we were wearing outfits of similar green. I could only shake my head.

"We should go," I said. "We do not want to be late to Elrond's celebration."

Calanon nodded and we left my rooms and made our way to the dining hall. A lavish table was set up and some people had already gathered around it. "And what might a Dunedain Ranger be doing all the way in Imladris?" I asked with a smile.

The man turned to look at me and gave me a grin. "I could ask the same of a Woodland elf." He grasped my forearm and I his. "It is good to see you again, Legolas."

"Good indeed, Estel," I chuckled.

"Legolas," a sweet voice said my name behind me and I turned to see Arwen. She was a picture of elvish beauty and I wrapped my arms around her, bestowing upon her a brotherly hug.

"It is good to have you here," she smiled and went to stand next to Estel. I smiled at the pair of them.

"It is wonderful to be back." Arwen and Estel both had a happy glow around them and my heart was warmed to see them together. Estel was hardly ever in Imladris and they were apart often.

"Oh Vanmoriel," Arwen called. I turned to see the woman from the pool. Arwen beckoned her over. "I want you to meet Legolas. He was a childhood friend to us."

It was my turn for my cheeks to burn scarlet. The woman surveyed me coolly and I wanted to shrink away from her gaze.

"We met earlier actually," she said evenly.

"Wonderful," Arwen smiled. The group sat down and I was seated next to Estel.

"What happened with Vanmoriel, mellon (friend)?" He asked curiously.

"A terrible misunderstanding, I am afraid." I put some of the light food on my plate and began to eat, saying no more of said misunderstanding.

Throughout the night there were speeches, long speeches, in Elrond's honor and there was much talking late into the night. Finally, music started up and the mood lightened considerably.

Estel and Arwen were the first ones to begin to dance. They moved so gracefully, a truly elvish couple. The looks that were exchanged between the two were truly heartwarming. Arwen looked at Estel as though he was the sun itself and he looked at her as though she was the only other person in all of Arda.

I glanced at Vanmoriel and decided to gather my courage. I stood and walked to her, extending a hand. "Would you dance with me so I can attempt to make a better impression on you?"

She looked up at me and eventually smiled. "I suppose you can try." She stood up. "Though I think you should have asked me to dance before you saw me naked," Vanmoriel whispered as we moved nearer to the dancing couples.

I was very taken aback and had not expected anything like that to come out of her mouth. I had to laugh though. I placed my hand on her waist and took her small hand in mine. "You will have to forgive me for that," I said quietly. "I honestly had no idea you were there. Perhaps you should begin singing while you bathe, to warn people of your whereabouts."

Vanmoriel gave me a bright smile. "A very good idea. I forgive you for I really do believe that it was an honest mistake."

"I assure you, it was." I led us around the floor to the elegant steps of the dance.

"You know I was looking forward to meeting the Elves of Eryn Lasgalen, but that was not quite in that manner." Her eyes were sparkling with her good humor.

"Well let me introduce myself in the proper manner then," I said seriously. "I am Legolas Thranduilon of Eryn Lasgalen."

Vanmoriel laughed lightly before introducing herself. "I am Vanmoriel Alyanian."

"It is a pleasure, Vanmoriel," I said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it gently.

Finally, Elrond and Ada went to bed, bidding everyone good night. It was already quite late, but mere seconds after the elders had retired for the night Calanon came in rolling a barrel of our most potent wine. Many of the rest of the party had retired also and the Elrondian twins, Estel, and the Thranduilon brothers were left. We all poured the wine generously into our goblets and sat around the table and talked for a long while.

As the sun was coming up Calanon was speaking of the pressure of finding a wife. He was the Crown Prince of Eryn Lasgalen and if he were to rule he would need an heir.

"Maybe you might find a worthy woman of Imladris," Elrohir suggested.

"What about you, Legolas? Has any elleth of Imladris caught your eye?" Elladan prodded.

I gave them a small smile. "Perhaps."

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I hope you liked it. **Let me know if you have any pointers or suggestions. **I take constructive criticism as well as I do praise!

Happy reading,

Avonmora


	3. Chapter 3

I am trying to make these chapters longer I swear, but I just can't come up with anything but little thoughts for each one! I promise they will get longer, but you have to bear with me for now! I hope you enjoy this, even if it is brief!

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Chapter Three

As I lay in bed that night, or morning, I thought about the dark haired beauty who I had danced with. I had never met an elleth with such vivacious charm. She truly had not been offended even though the situation had been very inappropriate.

When I awoke late the next afternoon I went groggily to have lunch. "You do not look well, brother," Calanon laughed when he saw me.

"I feel worse," I responded. It was only the group of young men from the night before who were still having their lunch. The light was painful to my already sensitive eyes and I sat down and ate a few pieces of sweet bread.

"Calanon, would you please join Elrond and me?" My father came into the room and surveyed the sorry lot before him.

"Of course, Ada," Calanon replied and he followed my father out of the door. We all laughed at his misfortune when he left. After a while the rest of us dispersed, the twins to cause mischief as usual, Estel to find Arwen, and I went out into the shady gardens to get some respite from the sun.

"I hear that I missed a good barrel of wine last night," someone said behind me.

I looked up and shaded my eyes to see Vanmoriel standing behind the bench I sat on. I scooted over so she might join me.

"I fear if you would have partaken you would be just as miserable as the rest of us," I laughed quietly. She sat next to me and laughed.

"You do look quite miserable."

I looked over at her. She was beautiful, sitting tall and proud, the sun reflecting off of her ebony hair. Her sparkling eyes were glittering with amusement as she surveyed my sorry state.

"I did enjoy myself before the wine was poured, dancing with you," I said.

"I had quite a good time as well. You dance very well."

We sat in silence. We hardly knew each other and it was a little awkward.

"Vanmoriel," I finally mused. "It means 'dark beauty,' no?" I looked at her.

She laughed lightly and it was the most delightful sound, like a narrow stream falling over a few rocks. "Yes it does. My parents named me such for my dark hair."

"They were right in naming you such," I said shyly. I had never been bashful around women so I was confused at my sudden change. I knew Vanmoriel was different.

-ooooOoooo-

A few days later I was wandering aimlessly through the halls of the Last Homely House. My brother had abandoned me, the twins were nowhere to be found, and I was sure I did not want to know where Arwen and Estel were.

"Legolas, I was looking for you!" Vanmoriel's low voice reached my ears.

"You were looking for me?" I asked as I turned around.

She nodded and smiled. "I wanted to go on a horseback ride, but I cannot find Arwen."

"So I was the second choice?" I grinned.

Her rippling laugh came from her chest. "I am afraid so."

"Do not worry I am not offended. I would love to go with you." I offered her my arm and we made our way to the stables. Vanmoriel saddled her own brown mare and I was pleasantly surprised that she did not ask one of the stable hands to do it for her. I listened to her whisper soothing Elvish words to her horse.

We set off and I followed her through the wooded, colorful paths of Imladris. There was a small clear stream that ran next to us and it was nearly musical. We wound our way deeper and deeper into the woods of Imladris.

Finally, Vanmoriel stopped her horse and slid out of the saddle. "This is another of my favorite pools," she said with a grin.

I slipped off of my horse and laughed. Vanmoriel continued to surprise me. I watched as she pulled her dark purple dress over head, leaving her in only her slip. The water hardly moved at all as she dove into the deep water. Her head popped up a few seconds later and her long black hair was clinging to her back.

I stood at the edge of the pool and watched her swim around. "Are you not going to join me?" She asked after a moment, looking at me curiously.

Uncertainly, I pulled my tunic over my head and my boots off my feet and dove into the water as well. It was cool to my skin and felt amazingly refreshing. Instantly, the terrible feeling induced by the night before went away and I popped above the water with a grin.

"Much better," she said as she swam around me.

After a while we got out of the pool and lay in a sunny spot in the grass, letting our clothes dry before we returned.

"You know I think you deserved a kiss after your chivalrous attempt at making up for yesterday's earlier happenings," she said quietly. "I wanted to last night, but there were too many people around."

Before I knew it she was leaning over me, her damp hair like a curtain. She pressed her lips to mine and my eyes widened in shock. Her lips were gentle, a complete contrast to the bold move that she was making. Her pale hand was on my bare chest and I covered it with my own. Vanmoriel lay back down in the grass as though nothing had happened. Her fingers, though, intertwined with mine on the ground between us.

When our clothes had dried we redressed and headed back. It was a slow, silent trip. I was busy trying to puzzle out what had just happened and Vanmoriel was either doing the same thing or was sensitive enough to leave me alone with my thoughts.

We unsaddled our horses and made our way back into the home of Elrond. We stopped at a T in the corridors, both needing to go a different way.

"I enjoyed our afternoon together," I said quietly.

"As did I," she returned.

I took her hand and lightly brushed my lips across the back of it as I stared into her sparkling eyes. "I hope we can do it again," I said as I straightened up.

"I would like that very much, Legolas." She gave a smile before walking down the corridor.

I stood alone watching her walk away. Her hair reflected the sunlight every time she passed by a window and I could not manage to look away.

My father came up and stood beside me. "Who is she?" He asked quietly.

"Her name is Vanmoriel," I replied, not looking up at him even as she became smaller down the corridor.

My father seemed to be watching me. He was silent for a moment and we both watched as Vanmoriel turned and disappeared.

"You know I fell in love with your mother the first moment I saw her," he said with a smile.

I was, again, shocked. My father hardly ever spoke of my mother. Even after centuries it was still hard for him.

Nostariel had been a Lorien elf and had moved to Mirkwood shortly after she met my father. They were married and lived together for many happy years, producing two healthy sons, Calanon and myself. Nothing had gone wrong in their marriage or her life in general, but like all things in life, the call of the sea was unpredictable. She had left just after I was considered an adult. The pain for everyone was acute. A huge part of our lives was all of the sudden gone. I remember, above everything else, her standing at the bow of the ship waving to us all. Calanon and I stayed on the shore, but my father could not. He waded out into the waves and stayed there until the sun fell and the moon rose overhead. Calanon and I could only stand and watch him; all three of us were completely unmoving for many long hours.

"I knew I could not live another day without her by my side," he continued. "Love is a very strange thing, my son."

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I hope you enjoyed this even though it was short! I do apologize profusely for that. **Let me know what you think!**

****Happy reading,

Avonmora


	4. Chapter 4

So sorry it's been so long! I've started college and gotten caught up in that. I hope you all can forgive me. Enjoy!

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Chapter Four

The next few weeks passed in a blur to me. I spent many hours with Vanmoriel and when she was not by my side I craved her presence. She was intoxicating to me and clearly I was something to her if she wanted to continue to be in my presence.

However, those few months came to an abrupt end when my father announced that we would be leaving to return to Mirkwood. An Elvish visit was very long and we had nearly outdone our stay. Something inside me told me that my father knew of the severity of my situation and allowed our visit to continue for solely my account.

As I was entering my rooms after spending an afternoon with Vanmoriel horseback riding around Imladris my father fell in behind me. "Legolas, I would speak with you if you have the time."

"Of course, Ada," I replied, sitting on the edge of my bed. My father sat on a chair in the corner of the room arranging his elegant robes around him.

"Legolas, I mean to leave next week. I can no longer impose upon Elrond by having all three of us here," he said simply.

I nodded my head. I had known that day would come since the day I met Vanmoriel. It had been looming ever presently since I had gotten to know her in our time together. It pulled at my heart to think of leaving when I knew I did not want to be anywhere but by her side. There was something about the elleth that set her apart from any other woman I had ever known. Perhaps it was that she didn't give much thought to what others thought of her or perhaps it was her general love of life. Whatever it was, I was almost certain that I could not live without it.

I sat in silence for a moment. The time had finally come to make my crucial decision. I had been wrestling with it in my mind for days. Would I return home and perhaps keep in contact with Vanmoriel or could I stay in Rivendell and pursue the unnatural attraction I had to the woman. I looked at my father for a moment.

"I wish to stay here if that is alright with you," I said quietly.

It appeared that I didn't need to explain myself. "Of course, my son. Take all the time you need." My father stood from his seat and for the first time in a long time came over to me and kissed me on the forehead. I smiled up at him before he left wordlessly.

I sat in my room and thought for a good while that night. I didn't leave until the sun rose the next morning, red and glorious, bringing in the new day. How would I explain myself to Vanmoriel? Why did I stay longer than my brother and father? I did not want to put her off or scare her away, but I couldn't leave without getting any sort of closure for our current situation.

I finally cleaned myself up and mustered up the courage to speak to her. I found her having breakfast with Arwen.

"Vanmoriel, I would speak with you when you are through here," I said quietly.

She smiled brightly up at me. "Of course. I shall meet you in the garden."

I went outside and wandered the paths around the fountains. It was an exquisite day. I prayed that it was a good omen; that Vanmoriel would understand where I was coming from and hopefully that she would be in accordance. I couldn't breathe just thinking about the pending conversation. My palms were sweating so profusely that I had to wipe them on my leggings.

"Legolas," I heard my name being called softly. I turned to see Vanmoriel coming towards me. She was as radiant as ever in a soft blue dress. My stomach dropped as I looked at her, in all her beauty.

"Are you alright?" She reached out and took my hand with hers. "Legolas!" She exclaimed. "Your hands are sweating terribly! What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm only nervous."

"Nervous? About what?" Vanmoriel looked at me exasperatedly when I didn't answer immediately. "Legolas, you're making me nervous. Please tell me what is going on."

"Alright." I sat down and pulled her down next to me. "My father and brother are leaving Imladris soon."

I noticed a sadness that passed over her face. In that instant I thought that there might be hope for me; that she might want to me stay with her for a while a longer.

"Unfortunately, I am not quite ready to leave." I looked down at her. "I would like to stay here with you for a while longer."

"Really?" A soft smile graced her beautiful features once more.

"If you will have me," I responded giving her hand a squeeze.

"Of course I will." She laughed, relieved. "I was actually thinking that it might time for you to depart soon and I was absolutely dreading the thought. I do not know what it is about you, but I do not want to be away from you. I have spent my whole life away from you and that was long enough."

Vanmoriel was simply beaming at me and my heart soared.

"Melleth (love), you took the words from my own mouth." I had to laugh at how relieved I was. A weight was lifted off of my shoulders.

My next task would be asking Elrond for his permission to stay in Imladris while I continued to court Vanmoriel. I decided better late than never and went that same afternoon.

I knocked softly on the door to his study where Elladan had told me he would be. I don't know which conversation I had been more nervous for.

"Come in," his stern voice called out.

I pushed the door open. "Good afternoon, Elrond."

"Can I do something for you, Legolas?"

Again, I took a deep breath. "As you know, my father and brother are planning to leave soon."

Elrond nodded.

"I was hoping you might allow me to linger a while longer," I trailed off.

"Is there a particular reason that you would like to stay here in Imladris?" Elrond hadn't even looked at me. He was too busy with whatever he was writing.

"Well yes. I have been courting Vanmoriel Alyanian. We both want me to stay here because of our affection for one another and you know it wouldn't be fitting for me to take her away from Imladris and her family just yet," I said all in one breath.

Elrond finally looked up. "How can I say no to young love?" He actually slightly smiled at me. "Stay as long as you wish. You are always welcome in Imladris."

I let out my second sigh of relief of the day. "Thank you so much, Elrond."

"I hope everything works out for you, my young friend."

-ooooOoooo-

A month later I was standing at the entrance to Imladris saying goodbye to my father and Calanon. Vanmoriel was at my side, her fingers twined through mine. I stepped forward and clasped Calanon's forearm. "See you soon, little brother." I smiled and received my hug from Ada.

To my surprise after hugging me, instead of getting on his horse, Ada walked over to Vanmoriel and gave her a gentle hug as well. "I hope to see you soon, Vanmoriel."

"As do I, my lord," she responded politely. My heart was near to bursting at the interaction between my father and Vanmoriel.

Calanon and Ada mounted their horses and I raised my hand in farewell and watched them depart. Soon after they were gone Vanmoriel and I retreated into the Last Homely House to see where my stay would take us.

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There you have. I hope it was worth the terribly long wait. I love reviews if you're feeling generous.

Happy reading,

Avonmora


	5. Chapter 5

I am so sorry for the long wait. I've been busy with school and work yadda yadda yadda. You've heard similar schpeals. Anyways, here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter Five

My time in Rivendell with Vanmoriel was wonderful. I had never met anyone so kind-hearted, humorous, or beautiful in all of my years on Arda. I spent more than a decade in that peaceful place and almost every minute of it was spent with Vanmoriel. I could hardly bear to tear myself from her at night so that we could part ways and sleep. It was ridiculous how my body, soul, and mind craved her even if I had been with her all day. We spent our days wandering around Rivendell, swimming, riding horses, and hiding ourselves away from everyone else.

One such day we were sitting in a deserted part of the gardens on a sun-warmed bench. It had started innocently enough, but the heat had spread from our melded lips to the rest of our bodies. I pulled her into me, as though my body would consume hers. My hands traveled over her body that was firm and soft at the same time. Her hair surrounded me and the smell of the flowers that emanated from it intoxicated me.

I do not know how I managed it, but I pulled away from her with some great deal of self-control. "Vanmoriel, we mustn't do this."

I looked at her and wanted nothing more than for her to envelope me again, to completely take in my entire being. Her chest was heaving, her mouth was rosy red from the passionate kisses, and her face was flushed.

"I know, Legolas, but I can no longer help myself," she responded looking shyly at the ground. "I have never felt this way in my entire life."

Her purity and innocence was endearing to me and I wanted to keep her that way until it was the absolute right time. My passion for Vanmoriel made me regret other decisions I had made in my past. Obviously, there would be no repercussion for me, a Prince of Eryn Lasgalen, if I were to take Vanmoriel then and there, but for her I wanted everything to be perfect, she deserved nothing less. Looking at her sweet face made me wish that I could give her all of myself, but unfortunately due to a reckless youth that could not be the case.

I spent many nights with elvish maidens from Eryn Lasgalen. Mostly I had had very passionate, very short relationships with women; where not much else was involved except falling into bed and staying up until the sun rose. As soon as I was done with them though, we parted ways not to see each other until the next night. I cannot think of one instance where I actually wanted any of them to stay and talk or to sleep next to me.

As I looked at Vanmoriel, I knew that I could go the rest of my life without making love to her if I had to. She had so much more to offer me than just her physical beauty, but every night when I went to bed alone all I could think about was how it felt to have her body crushed into mine, her hands innocently exploring my body. My body ached for her and it was a result of our physical encounters only becoming more passionate.

I sighed. "Yes you can wait. You would not want to ruin it by rolling around in the dirt," I said with a light life.

Her eyes twinkled with her laughter. "You are right." Vanmoriel snuggled into my side and I put an arm around her shoulder. Sunset in Rivendell was one of the most incredible things in all of Arda. The fading light made the waterfalls shimmer and dance and the forest became pure gold. I kissed Vanmoriel's temple.

We stayed that way until long after nightfall. Finally, we stood and went our separate ways bidding each other goodnight with one last, tender kiss.

As I was walking towards my room I was grabbed. Startled, I turned to see the Elrondian twins, not surprisingly.

"So did you get it tonight?" Elrohir asked. He had always been the more rowdy, inappropriate one of the two.

"Oh for the love of Eru," I sighed.

"Are you at least going to take her back to Eryn Lasgalen any time soon?" Elladan asked. "You have been here for more than ten years. Aren't you both courted enough?"

"Hush you two, leave him alone," I heard Arwen's serene voice before she appeared from around the corner. "This is a big decision for Legolas."

"Thank you, Arwen," I said, grateful for her intervention. The twins could go on and on for days if they were allowed to.

"Although you might want to make a decision. It has been quite a long time for your courtship and you do not want Vanmoriel thinking that you are losing interest in her and your future together," Arwen said gently.

I nodded. "Of course I am not. It is just a nerve-racking occasion."

"All you need are a few moments of courage." Arwen was smiling at me in a comforting way. I bid them all good night and retired to my room.

Once there, I opened a drawer and pulled out a small velvet pouch. I dumped the contents into my hand and looked down at the beautiful sapphire ring that once belonged to my mother. Before sailing away she had returned it to my father and designated that it should be given to the son that married first. I had written to Ada years ago, almost immediately after he left Rivendell, for him to send me the ring. I do not know what had kept me from giving it to Vanmoriel, except that I was scared.

I was terrified that she would reject me, though in my heart I knew she would not. Sometimes one's mind just overthinks things. This was one of those occasions. There had been a period when I had walked around with the ring in my pocket always looking for a chance, but never taking one. I knew I had to now or I would never do it.

I lay down, but tossed and turned all night with my nerves. I watched the sun come up the next morning and tried to gather my scattered thoughts. I finally resolved myself to go to breakfast with everyone, but I could not make eye contact with Vanmoriel. I could feel her curious gaze on my face and thought that I was surely visibly coloring.

"Legolas, are you alright? You seemed a little off at breakfast," Vanmoriel said as we were walking around the gardens later in the morning.

"Oh yes, I am fine. I did not sleep very well, unfortunately."

She nodded. "Well would you care to go swimming?" She asked. "It is a beautiful day for it."

"That sounds lovely." We made our way to our favorite pool that was far away from the Last Homely House. She pulled her green dress over her head and I shed my boots and tunic. However, as she dove in I only sat on the edge and dangled my feet in. I was afraid my nervousness would cause me to forget my senses and drown.

I pulled the ring out of my pocket while she was still swimming around underwater. Being elves we did not require as much air as a human. Finally her head popped up and she swam over to me.

"Whatever are you doing? Aren't you going to get in?" Her small, pale hands were resting on my knees to hold herself up.

I wordlessly held the ring out to her between my thumb and forefinger. Vanmoriel looked at me with confusion and shock in her eyes.

"It was my mother's. She would have loved you." I wasn't sure what else to say. I had not planned some elaborate speech of my undying love for her. That was not how we worked. "Come to Eryn Lasgalen and be my wife."

Vanmoriel only nodded and slipped the proper finger into the ring. "Of course I will."

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So there you have it! I hope you liked it. I love comments as long as they are constructive or nice.

Happy reading,

Avonmora


	6. Chapter 6

I'm not too pleased with. Just a filler chapter pretty much. I don't know what else to say about it. Enjoy!

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Chapter Six

We stayed in Rivendell for a while longer before moving on to Eryn Lasgalen. In that time I spent much time with Vanmoriel and her family. They were a loving group and I felt very much at home with them. It was obvious that they loved their daughter very much and would be sad to see her go. I hated to tear her away from her family, but she insisted that we go back to my home, though I told her I would be happy wherever she was.

"We will not be separated forever," Vanmoriel smiled at me gently.

"I suppose not," I replied.

"Do not worry so much. I shall be fine, Legolas. I am more than happy to be going to your home. I am excited." She softly kissed my cheek and stood from the bench where we had been sitting enjoying the afternoon sun. "I shall see you at dinner, melleth (love)."

I continued to sit there, mesmerized still by that beautiful woman. She was truly amazing and I could not believe my good fortune that she found something worthwhile in me as well. We were scheduled to leave in another month and then there would be a sort of adjustment period for Vanmoriel in Eryn Lasgalen before she decided if Eryn Lasgalen and I were what she wanted.

As the day to leave drew nearer I became more nervous. The idea of Vanmoriel backing out, deciding that she wanted to stay in Rivendell, terrified me. Deep in my heart I knew that was not a possibility. However, when one has everything to lose it makes them nervous.

Finally, the day came and there was a large group to see us off. Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir, and Elrond were among the group. I felt quite honored that I had such friends to see me off on one of the happiest days of my life. Elrohir and Elladan came up to me while Arwen was bidding farewell to Vanmoriel with her parents.

"I cannot believe you are finally managing to leave," Elrohir joked as he clasped my forearm. I returned the gesture and laughed.

"I can stay if you like. I've grown to quite enjoy Rivendell."

Elladan took his brother's place. "No, no. You've stayed quite long enough," he jested.

"Novaer (goodbye), Legolas," Elrond said to me, stepping up behind his sons. "I hope to see you both very soon in Eryn Lasgalen for a happy occasion." The older elf's wise eyes were twinkling, though his face hardly smiled.

"I hope so as well," I returned.

Arwen and Vanmoriel were still deep in conversation and I went over to them, gently touching Vanmoriel on the arm. "We should be going, melleth (love)," I said quietly.

Vanmoriel nodded and hugged Arwen tightly, who then hugged me in turn. "Be good to her, Legolas."

"I will," I whispered back.

Our party mounted the horses and gave one last wave to the people we were leaving behind. It was customary that I should travel with a couple of guards of my father's and Vanmoriel had also asked one of her companions to travel with us. Her family was fairly high standing in Rivendell and so she had grown up with this woman who was slightly older than her. She would stay in Eryn Lasgalen with Vanmoriel. Mirima was her name and I was very glad that she was traveling with Vanmoriel. I would have hated to bring her to my home alone, without anyone she knew beside me. I knew there would be times when I would not be able to be with Vanmoriel due to my duties at home and I knew that there would also be times when we would want to be apart and with different people. This way Vanmoriel was not alone in an unfamiliar place.

We rode out of Rivendell and made our way east toward Eryn Lasgalen. It had been long since I had been home, and even though I had been itching to leave the thick forests, I was now yearning to be back. I was not only yearning to be home, but to be home with Vanmoriel. To start our new life together. The mere thought made me smile.

"What are you thinking of?" Vanmoriel asked, noticing my smile as we rode along a small stream.

"I am only thinking of our future," I grinned over at her.

"And what about it?" She asked curiously.

"All of it, melleth (love)."

We rode on and on and camped at night. It was so difficult for me to only be separated from the elleth of my dreams by two thin tent walls. I wanted very much to creep into her tent and lay beside her, to have her in my arms, her hair in my face. I knew I could not though. Even though the guards and her companion could be persuaded to keep the silence I wanted to honor Vanmoriel. I wanted to honor her on our wedding night.

We finally arrived on the outskirts of Mirkwood. My heart was thudding in my chest. I only wanted Vanmoriel to love my home, so that she would stay with me. The horses made their way slowly into the forest and I looked over to see Vanmoriel looking around in awe.

"Legolas, this place is incredible," she breathed.

"I am very glad you think so," I said smiling.

"I have never seen such tree, Mirima!" Vanmoriel exclaimed to her companion. Both women were gazing around open-mouthed.

Eventually, we got deeper into the forest and were no longer able to ride our mounts. I took Vanmoriel's hand in mine and led her through the forest at the head of our party. The palatial cave came into view.

"Is that it?" Vanmoriel asked.

"It is," I responded. I led the party towards the stable on the far side of the palace and handed the horses over to the attendants there. We then mounted the steps to the entryway of my home.

My father was standing there, waiting to greet us. "Well met, young ones." He was smiling broadly and even before he clasped my arm he gave Vanmoriel a gentle hug. "It warms my heart to see you once more, Vanmoriel."

"And you, Your Grace."

My father laughed and shook his head. "No, no my dear. You must call me Thranduil now. There shall be no formalities between you and me."

My heart was warmed by the exchange between the two. I clasped my father's arms. He told me which rooms at been arranged for Vanmoriel and Mirima and we walked there.

"Wait, Legolas. Is that your mother?" Vanmoriel asked as we walked through the wide, stone corridors. She had paused in front of a painting that had been done when I was only an elfling. It was of all four of us; my mother sitting with me in her lap and Calanon next to us with my father behind us.

"It is," I responded quietly. That particular painting always made me nostalgic of life before her sailing.

"She is beautiful." The look of awe was back on Vanmoriel's face. "You look very much like her."

"Thank you." We lingered a while longer, observing other paintings of the royal family throughout the centuries. We finally came upon the room that Vanmoriel would inhabit. I pushed the heavy, dark wooden door open to display her quarters.

The door opened into a beautiful sitting room decorated with a deep green day bed and arm chair near a large, stone fireplace.

"Oh Legolas," Vanmoriel said quietly. I led her to the bedroom and pushed that door open. The four poster bed was dressed in deep green as well, the bed cover having gold stitching to match the gold bed curtains. There was another fireplace and two large chests of drawers.

"Over there is your bathroom and that other door leads to the rooms for Mirima so that she will be close to you. I hope this all will suit you."

"It is perfect," she responded. She wrapped her arms around me and I kissed the top of her head.

"I am glad."

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There you have it. Let me know what you thought. Looking back I enjoy the part with Thranduil.

Happy reading,

Avonmora


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